2,3-Dicyanopropionate derivatives are widely used for the synthesis of pyrazole derivatives. Pyrazole derivatives have application in the manufacture of fine chemicals and agrochemicals which has pesticidal or insecticidal properties as described in European Patent Publication Nos. 0295117 and 0234119 and WO93/06089
Ethyl 2,3-dicyanopropionate was first prepared by Higson and Thorpe (Journal of Chemical Society, 89, 1460 (1906)) by reacting formaldehyde cyanohydrin with sodium salt of ethyl cyanoacetate. The reaction is represented below.

The process disclosed by Higson and Thorpe for preparing ethyl 2,3-dicyanopropionate suffers from a significant drawback such as the formaldehyde cyanohydrin used as a reactant is less stable, polymerizes easily in presence of alkali and undergoes spontaneous and violent decomposition.
The preparation of 2,3-dicyanopropionates is disclosed by Smith and Horwitz (Journal of American Chemical Society, 1949, 21, 3418). The process discloses the formation and isolation of 3-substituted-2,3-dicyanopropionates as an intermediate in the preparation of 2,3-disubstituted succinodinitriles from cyanoacetate, ketones and potassium cyanide.
Further, Whiteley and Marianelli (Synthesis (1978), 392) disclosed a process for preparing 3-substituted-2,3-dicyanopropionates as an intermediate in the preparation of 2,3-disubstituted succinodinitriles from cyanoacetate, aldehydes (C1-C3 alkylaldehyde or benzaldehyde) and potassium cyanide.
Australian Patent No. 725472 discloses synthesis of ethyl 2,3-dicyano propionate by reacting potassium cyanide with ethyl cyanoacetate and para-formaldehyde in ethanol to obtain a potassium salt of ethyl 2,3-dicyano propionate. The potassium salt on dissolution in water, acidification to pH 4 and extraction with dichloromethane provides 2,3-dicyano ethyl propionate.
Chinese Patent No. 1785966 discloses a reaction of ethyl cyanoacetate, para-formaldehyde and sodium cyanide to synthesize ethyl-2,3-dicyano-propionate in dimethyl sulfoxide. The obtained ethyl-2,3-dicyano propionate is further purified. Indian Application No. 129/MUM/2010 discloses a process for the preparation of ethyl-2,3-dicyano-propionate which involves reacting an alkali metal cyanide and para-formaldehyde in the presence of a solvent to obtain glycolonitrile and reacting the glycolonitrile in-situ with an alkali ethoxide and cyanoacetate to obtain ethyl-2,3-dicyanopropionate derivatives.
The methods for the synthesis of cyanoalkylpropionate derivatives as disclosed in the prior art suffer significant drawback in that it is first necessary to extract or isolate the intermediate formaldehyde cyanohydrin (glycolonitrile), which is highly water soluble. The isolation of cyanohydrin involves a tedious and lengthy continuous extraction process (counter current extraction with polar solvent such as ether). Further, formaldehyde cyanohydrin has a limited stability and often gets decomposed violently
upon attempted distillation. Furthermore, the reaction requires care given the risk of formation of dimeric side-products.
In view of the above, there is envisaged in accordance with the present disclosure an economic, high yielding and simple process for preparing 2,3-dicyanopropionic acid ester.